#TBT 2016 TASTE OF PRINCE GEORGE'S FEST CELEBRATES THE BEST IN LOCAL FOOD AND WINE

The Taste of Prince George's Food and Wine Festival, returned to Six Flags America for a fourth year, like it never left. A one-day family fun affair which includes tastings, competitions, performances and lots of activities, The Taste of Prince George's Food and Wine Festival presented by marketing agency, FLYCANDY, shines a light on local talent while reinforcing that Prince George's County, Maryland is a worthwhile culinary destination for great food. 

#BAGLADIESLIVE WEEKEND: WHAT YOU DIDN'T DO

This was before the sweat ...

This theme of this weekend should've been "blood, sweat and tears" literally. I rose to the challenge of working out twice in one day among other things. Here's a glimpse ...#BagLadiesLIVE Weekend.

Grip the Mat claims to take yoga into kick-ass creative spaces combined with a social experience. Saturday night's Grip The Mat Silent Soul & Spirits definitely did that and by "that" I mean kicked my ass. 

#BAGLADIESLIVE WEEKEND: JUST ANOTHER #LABORDAY IN THE OFFICE, WATCH FOR YOURSELF ...

Cranking out recaps, meeting deadlines for upcoming features, getting my mane tamed, putting #heelstothewheels ...Just another "Labor Day" in in the office. Press play and see for yourself ...

"FOODIE FRIDAY": NOT JUST APPLESAUCE BUT AWESOME-SAUCE!

Winning whatever it may be, is always awesome. Imagine my surprise upon finding out last month via an Instagram shout-out, that I was a GoGo squeeZ #12DaysOfGoGo winner. What is GoGo squeeZ? It's awesome-sauce! So awesome that I was even more hyped to resume my "Foodie Friday" theme for the new year.

Launched in 2008, GoGo squeeZ makes healthy snacks more accessible. You can take your pick from applesauce to fast fruit. All of which are offered in the cutest resealable packages which contain 100% fruit in a variety of flavors (pictured at right). My "winnings" consisted of 12 packs of GoGo squeeZ each containing four pouches each in apple banana which is supper yummy! Not too sweet. Great texture and an ample serving per pouch. What I love most, you can grab a pouch and go and be healthy. I am horrible when it comes to eating breakfast particularly. Trying to get my lil' ones dressed and off to school is no small feat. And while I always ensure they eat, I don't pay just due attention to myself. Being able to grab a pouch of GoGo squeeZ is a quick and tasty remedy. If I know I'm gonna be out and about, I drop a couple pouches in my bag and keep it moving. And if my kids have a long day, I toss a pouch in their book bag. The packaging ensures no mess, no spillage, no accidents and you don't need a spoon which as a Mommy of three, is fantastic!! My kids (son pictured left), don't require my help to open the pouches. I don't have to cover them in a million napkins. And it's a good and guilt-free snack for me and for them.

All I need do or they need do is twist off the newly designed helicopter cap, squeeze and go. Thus, GoGo squeeZ. Follow my GoGo chronicles on IG @ bagladies.

P.S. - I've spied GoGo squeeZ in all my area grocery stores but visit gogosqueez.com to search specific locations.
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Follow me and my Foodie Friday theme via hashtag #ImAFoodie on Twitter and Instagram and on Pinterest.

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All new fall lineup soon to come to the online airwaves of Bag Ladies Radio. In the meantime, OnDemand/iTunes are 24/7. Check out my fave show picks and access recent shows and the full archive at bagladiesradio.com/listen.  Follow on Twitter and Instagram @bagladies.

Foodie Friday: The Best Recipe I Found on Pinterest This Week

Pinterest is where I go when I want to be inspired, when I want ideas and if I need a creative escape. Or simply, if I'm just bored. Oh and hungry too! Besides fashion and beauty, dishes and recipes are my faves to pin and repin. We are right on the heels of Thanksgiving and if nothing else, I always contribute the eggnog ...Spiked for sure. I came across this recipe for Peppermint Eggnog Punch and of all the recipes pinned this week, this one pinned to my Tis' The Season board is my fave and I can't wait to give it a go. The pic by itself is swoon-worthy and the directions are simple enough. Check back with me after Thanksgiving to see if I pulled it off.

ingredients

• 1 quart  peppermint ice cream
• 1 quart  dairy eggnog or canned eggnog
• 1 cup  rum (optional)
• 1 - 210  ounce bottles  (1-1/4 to 2-1/2 cups)ginger ale, chilled
•  Additional peppermint ice cream (optional)
•  Peppermint sticks (optional)

I'm most intrigued by what flavors the peppermint ice cream and ginger ale will lend. Be sure to follow me on Pinterest at pinterest.com/bagladiesradio.

Do you pin? Do you have any fave recipes? Oh and what do you contribute to Thanksgiving dinner?

-- Erin

Follow Foodie Friday via hashtag #ImAFoodie and on Pinterest.

All new fall lineup soon to come to the online airwaves of Bag Ladies Radio. In the meantime, OnDemand/iTunes are 24/7. Check out my fave show picks and access recent shows and the full archive at bagladiesradio.com/listen.  Follow on Twitter and Instagram @bagladies.

Foodie Friday: Featuring A "Me-Approved" Foodie Quote

Julia Child

This week's Foodie Friday is in the form of an inspirational quote from the late Julia Child. What do you think of the "me-approved" quote? Have you ever seen the movie, Julie and Julia released by Sony Pictures in 2009 and starring Meryl Streep? It's very good. It's all about how Julia Child (remember her), made a name for herself as a chef/cook and a Blogger who spent like a year attempting all her recipes. The movie includes a hilarious Saturday Night Live sketch with Dan Akroyd mocking Julia Child's voice and tendencies. If you are my age (I ain't telling how old I am), you surely remember Julia Child shows from like PBS or some other network back in the day. She had a VERY distinct voice. I remember my Grandmother and babysitter used to watch her cooking show regularly.

Anyway, are you a foodie? And does this quote apply to you? It does me and on that note, Happy Foodie Friday!


Follow Foodie Friday via hashtag #ImAFoodie and on Pinterest.

-- Erin






All new fall lineup soon to come to the online airwaves of Bag Ladies Radio. In the meantime, OnDemand/iTunes are 24/7. Check out my fave show picks and access recent shows and the full archive at bagladiesradio.com/listen.  Follow on Twitter and Instagram @bagladies.

Foodie Friday: Featuring "The Diva Chef", Madison Shannon Kelly #ImAFoodie

Today marks the launch of Foodie Friday, a recurring feature chronicling my #ImAFoodie tales. I like to eat good. I love to dine out. I adore discovering new cuisine and/or hidden gems. And I'm often extended invitations for new restaurant openings, product launches, festivals and "foodie" events. So why not dish write about it. I hope to turn you onto something new in the process or at least make you drool.

This week's Foodie Friday features "The Diva Chef" herself, Madison Shannon Kelly. An Atlanta, GA based up and coming chef, Madison is a self-made pastry chef and owner of Diva Delights.

I've known Madison for a couple of years but only recently upon a trip to Atlanta did I have the absolute pleasure of sampling one of her signature treats, Banana Pudding Cheesecake. Not just a pudding but more than a cheesecake, each Banana Pudding Cheesecake is handmade and made from scratch. Per Madison, "it became a top-seller overnight." I now know why. It's the perfect combo. It's light like pudding but less the "richness" of a cheesecake which can sometimes overwhelm the palette resulting in one taking two bites and being done. Whereas Madison's Banana Pudding Cheesecake can easily be polished in one sitting.

I devoured that which Madison hand-delivered to my hotel with a note as an added personal touch, for breakfast while preparing to depart Atlanta. Each "delight" is clearly both made and packaged with love. The graham cracker crust was a pleasant surprise and so moist and sweet. I literally made sure every bite had a bit of crust. As I continued to indulge, I felt like I was treating myself. Of course I deserved it! As I was eating devouring I mean, I noticed a hint of something that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Per Madison, "Cinnamon is my secret weapon!" And safe to say it totally breaks the mold of traditional banana pudding. Madison also offers strawberry and oreo cheesecake, red velvet cupcakes with the most adorable packaging I've ever seen, cheese balls and individual salad varieties but it's easy to see how upon ordering the Banana Pudding Cheesecake, customers instantly become regulars. I've been craving more ever since. You can catch a glimpse of Madison's swoon-worthy offerings via her Instagram account @mskenterprises.

Madison is working on her website and expanding her brands. In addition to other endeavors which include a reality show, Stiletto Bosses and new food business, Madison is currently working to open a bakery in Lithonia, GA and authoring her first cookbook, "I can cook, DAMMIT, MARRY ME!", which goes on pre-order November 1st 2013. To inquire about ordering and shipping outside of GA which I'm excited to say Madison now offers (be prepared to get in line behind me), contact Madison at Diva Delights via email at mydivadelight@yahoo.com.

Follow Foodie Friday via hashtag #ImAFoodie and on Pinterest.

-- Erin

All new fall lineup soon to come to the online airwaves of Bag Ladies Radio. In the meantime, OnDemand/iTunes are 24/7. Check out my fave show picks and access recent shows and the full archive at bagladiesradio.com/listen.  Follow on Twitter and Instagram @bagladies.

I THOUGHT IT WAS MY DAY ...

"The Throwdown"

This pic is totally indicative of how I spent Mother's Day ...Throwing down in the kitchen. How on a

My lil' ones and I after church. I love my BFF for this dress. 

day that is supposed to be "my own", did I get tasked with cooking???! Additionally, I was a babysitter. Of course not as it applies to my own three but my brother, who relieved the Mother of his three and came over so they could hang out with my three ...Proceeded to make a b-line to my basement and crash leaving me to watch over 6 lil' ones (my brother and I both have twins + 1). But what can I say, he surprised me in the morning with a touching card ...And he accompanied me to church. My oldest who is 8 played the role of the oldest well. I was so impressed, I gave her an even bigger kiss and hug before bedtime and thanked her for looking out for not just her younger brother and sister but her cousins too. She was my second pair of eyes while I was trying to avoid burning the grub. As I watched while slaving away in the kitchen, the kids playing and frolicking in the yard, I was touched by how close they are and how well they get along and play with no care in the world. It was very nostalgic and reminded me of how my cousins and I used to do the same. When younger it seems like no biggie for family to come together but upon becoming an adult with kids of my own, I realize how much effort it actually requires. It's so easy to become consumed by everyday living, family can sometimes be put on the back-burner.

"The Cousins" My brother and I both have twins + 1

Although, I might've preferred to kick my feet up and be pampered on "my day", all was well and I had a great day and realized as I was "throwing down" in the kitchen, that I'm becoming more and more like my Mommy every day. Who knew I could get as excited as I was yesterday over new-found recipes and a full cooked meal??! I did that! Who knew?

The menu consisted of mini meat-loaf, cornbread, fried cabbage and mashed potatoes. The kids devoured it in no time flat and proceeded to ask for seconds. My Mom asked about leftovers after her and my Dad returned from a late brunch. I told her, "ask your grand kids." My brother eventually wandered upstairs half-sleep to find that the kids were well fed and fine. He betta be glad I saved him a plate. How did you spend your Mother's Day??

For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

Catch up on the dish you missed by going to www.bagladiesradio.com/listen. Scroll down to OnDemand and press play.

#MOMMYMIDDAY - I TRICK MY KIDS INTO EATING HEALTHY ...SOMETIMES

Whatever works! As a Mommy, getting my kids to eat healthy can be challenging at times. Eating good is hard. I'd love to be able to eat whatever I want whenever I want but alas, my "bawdy" ain't going for it and doing so will yield unwanted results. Children are much the same. Growing up, there wasn't much emphasis on healthy eating. My brothers and I pretty much snacked as much as we wanted and ate what we wanted. I can't even fathom the ounces of kool-aid I've consumed in my lifetime. A huge pitcher was ever present in the fridge and the more sugar the better. 

www.target.com 

Times have changed and kids health and nutrition are a priority. As a Mommy there are times when it's easy to reach for the least healthy snack. While I totally believe in allowing a kid to be a kid and allowing my own to indulge sometimes, I do try to balance their diet with healthy options. I've long since learned that it's all in the presentation! As much as I love visual appeal and love to get deliveries of items purchased in pretty packaging, my kids do also. These snack-size plastic bags purchased in-store at Target, are perfect! That infamous one dollar aisle that greets me upon entering Target always stops me dead in my tracks. It's like a literal "grab-and-go." The hot pink owl on the bag immediately stood out and thus I chucked one pack into my cart. Although I intended to use for Easter treats, I didn't and after putting my kids to bed last nite and cleaning up the kitchen, I had a thought to pre-prepare some snacks. I realized I still had these cute little bags. Earlier in the day, I grabbed a ton of fruit ...Strawberries, oranges, grapes, bananas. So I washed and divided the fruit into individual bags and placed them in the fridge on a shelf within reach. The other bonus is that when the kids ask me for a snack, allowing them to go directly to the fridge and grab what they want, establishes independence and my kids love that. They are at that age (7 and 8), where they don't want me to do everything anymore. They think they are "grown." Uh huh ...But little do they know, it works for me also because I don't have to stop what I'm doing whenever they come a-calling.

My kids are on spring break this week so however I can lessen the Mommy can you? Mommy will you? Mommy can I? Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!, I will do. I wish I'd grabbed a few more packs. I will now be on the lookout for like options. Do you know of any?

How do you trick your kids into eating healthy? How do you incorporate nutrition into your child's diet? Do you have any faves?
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On a side note, this post is a total testament to my consistent habit of going into Target with the intention of grabbing one thing yet coming out with ten thangs!  

Catch up on the dish you missed by going to www.bagladiesradio.com/listen. Scroll down to OnDemand and press play.

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And for more on segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com.

Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you gonna get ...

I'm sure our friend Bharet over at Co Co. Sala might be thinking just that on this day. It's been just a little over a year but Co Co. Sala has been awarded the 2009 Rammy Award for the Hottest Restaurant Bar Scene by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington. Of course Bag Ladies knew it all along. You may recall our going on and on during the course of a previous show. From our first visit to their Sunday Brunch during which we sampled everything from the French Toast S'mores to the Fiery Passion Mimosa to that divine, can't get enough Chocolate Bacon, we knew Co Co. Sala was an irresistible concept that Washingtonians would love and we must have been right, because they would not have won the award without your support. So Bag Ladies extends much love and congrats to Bharet and the rest of the folks at Co Co. Sala.

Bag Ladies and our friends at Co Co. Sala